A student I work with is applying to grad school, but I have problems...

[mentorgray]

I work in the Career Center at a university, and had the opportunity to mentor and work with a group of interns this past semester. One student has asked me for a recommendation and review for his graduate applications for Student Affairs projects. I have a few problems with writing one due to the following reasons:

 

1. I have a copy of the student's transcript, which indicates a GPA below 3.0 including the . From what he has shown me on his application, he states that he has a 3.0 GPA. Should I indicate that he should not due so before turning his applications in? I have a feeling he has already submitted applications that only require 2 recs, with this false information.

 

2. I was working on a project with this student to be presented at the Career Center's start of the semester event next week. He said he would finish the project over winter break. I followed up with him over email over a week ago, asking how the project was coming along. He replied today saying that he just recieved his laptop back from Apple after sending it in weeks ago, and that they wiped EVERYTHING off of his laptop without asking him. I do not own a Macbook, but looking online about apple products, this does NOT make sense. I'm not completely sure he is lying, so if anyone has a Macbook and could clear this up for me, that would be helpful. Otherwise, should I ask for proof of having the laptop sent in and wiped out for not having the project completed? Or just let it be and see if he completed it by the time we need it?

 

Because of these two issues, I do not feel comfortable writing a LOR. If he is lying about the second issue, he is outright being dishonest about his work. Talking to another employee who worked with him, he has a history of being flaky and full of excuses. Is there an appropriate way to deny his request? Should I go into detail?

[fuzzylogician]

As for the grades question, you can approach the student and ask him about the conflict you noticed. "I see you said your GPA is X, but unless I'm mistaken your transcript says it's Y. Could you explain the discrepancy?" - ask without assuming a lie and in a non-confrontational way -- but only if you're really contemplating writing the letter. If not, I wouldn't bring this up.

 

As for the Mac and the project, it doesn't really matter why the project hasn't been completed. What's relevant for you is that it's not and therefore you can't use it to evaluate the student. You should contact the student and talk to him about the quality of the letter you could write given that his GPA is low and you have not seen the final product for his work with you (or any product?). If you're looking for a way out of writing a letter, you can give this as a very compelling reason: you can't write a good letter because you haven't seen enough of his work. (And, if you're lucky, he'll realize he'll get a weak letter and retract the request.)

[Usmivka]

Howdy!

Others may disagree (in fact the screen is telling me that someone answered while I was writing this), but here is my take.

 

It is common for applications to request grades with only two significant numbers allowed. So if the student has a 2.97 for example, I see no issue with rounding to 3.0. If you can't mathematically round to 3.0 in good faith (below 2.95) then it would be worth clarifying with the student. Perhaps they are referring only to their grade within major, or taking into account more recent grades, or haven't looked at what happened to their overall GPA with the most recent grades? Regardless, if it is an honest mistake, he should be able to correct it with the schools being applied to with a quick e-mail and updated transcript.

 

It is unlikely they wiped his computer, however, it is entirely possible the hard drive was replaced. In those instances you get the old hard drive back, but if it had to be replaced there is no guarantee that it was in operable condition. Normally, repair issues take place at a local storefront within a couple days of taking the computer in, and they use overnight shipping for those who can't make it to the store, but it is possible there was a long wait period to even get a repair slot, so maybe the situation was more complex than he wanted to get into, or maybe he fudged and said the repair took a long time on Apple's end, but in fact he was on vacation and didn't realize the computer was toast until recently--all idle and irrelevant conjecture on my part.

 

Regardless, I assume he needs a letter of recc now, and you clearly can't write him one based on work that was not completed. I'd stick to evaluating him on what he has actually done for you.

 

It sounds like you are uncomfortable writing him a positive letter of recommendation. Unless he specifically asked if you would write him a positive reference, you are under no ethical obligation to write him one, but I think it would be poor form of you to write him a negative one without warning him. I think the appropriate move here would be to say that you are unable to write him a letter of reference that is wholly unqualified. No further explanation is needed, although you could say that since he hasn't completed the work assigned to him you feel like you are unable to evaluate what he has done. Offer to write the letter, but suggest he look for someone who has seen more of his work product and can write a more positive recommendation.

 

I think if you did both of the above it would put the ball back in his court and take care of any ethical obligations on your part. It would also give him the best shot at grad school if everything is above board, given that you now have misgivings which could lead to bias, even if unconsciously. If he really can't find a more positive rec writer than you, the onus is on him for not making a better impression with you or anyone else.

 

EDIT: of course the cat beat me here. Four paws > 2 hands?

EDIT2: and again for spelling and clarity

Edited January 15, 2013 by Usmivka

[mentorgray]

Thank you both for your responses. I have only worked with the student for a semester, so I will see if he has any other sources for LORs first. Thanks for the tips!

[fuzzylogician]

EDIT: of course the cat beat me here. Four paws > 2 hands?

Admins have to approve posts by new members. If I have something to say I will often approve a post and reply immediately, so I'd say you are the fast one here, not me

 

And procrastination means I'm approving and replying to lots of posts these days, because I have so much work to do before the semester begins! The goal is to finish 3(!) first-authored papers by the end of the month. Right now it's one finished, one all-but-discussion finished, one just started. All depend on other people reading and commenting on things, which is slowly driving me insane.

[RandiZ]

What you use as the basis for your recommendation is up to you. The schools are looking for you to attest to the students ability to succeed in graduate school as demonstrated by their professionalism, analytical thinking skills, and/or passion for education. Only you know if you can write a strong recommendation about at least one of those things.

I tell students that I am not interested in hurting them. If I can't write them a strong recommendation then I will say that I don't have time to meet their deadline. And while I encourage them to waive their right to read their letters, I also give them a copy. Many students say it has been a good tool for reflection. My thinking is if I don't want the student to know what I wrote it is probably not a helpful letter for admissions.

[_kita]

I was told by sever professors to ask if the writer could give me a "strong letter of recommendation" and, if they could not, just ask another professor or ask them if there was another way I could work with them to make it stronger. The same should apply on the reverse. If you can't write a strong letter, I'd suggest warning the student and hopefully they'll consider finding someone who actually can. After all, it's their career, not yours!

[ASzofer]

I would say that if you cannot write a strong letter of recommendation, and the student cannot find someone who can, maybe that student doesn't belong in graduate school - which would be the exact purpose of the LOR in the first place.  Graduate school is not for everyone and if the student has not shown you that they are capable of success in a graduate level program, then maybe it would be best for them to try other career options.  A friend of mine was recently lamenting that he would not be able to get into a top MBA program because they care about GPA - well, yeah, don't drink yourself through undergrad if you want an academic future.  

 

As far as the Apple situation goes, I recently had my hard drive replaced and the Genius Bar representatives walked me through every step of the process and warned me that if I needed a day to take my computer home and back everything up that I should.  I highly doubt Apple wiped his hard drive clean without his approval.  

 

Maybe that's a tough love approach, but I feel there is a reason students with strong LOR should get in - they worked harder and will be better fit.  I have dealt with the same thing as a high school teacher writing letters for high school students trying to get into undergraduate programs.  Just because I have liked many students as individuals, did not mean they were successful in my class, or that I honestly believed they would succeed in the programs they were applying to.  In these cases, I simply told the student that I did not have enough honest information to write them a strong letter and that they should seek someone who might be more familiar with their strengths.